Cardiff () and Edinburgh () are two UK areas home buyers and renters frequently weigh against each other. On our overall Area Score, Cardiff rates 77/100 (grade B) and Edinburgh rates 72/100 (grade B). Edinburgh works out cheaper for typical monthly household bills (~£367 versus ~£376). The full side-by-side breakdown of crime, schools, transport, affordability, broadband, environment and healthcare is below, followed by our verdict on which area fits which kind of buyer.
Cardiff vs Edinburgh: Category Comparison
Our Verdict
Cardiff comes out ahead in 1 of 8 categories, with particular strengths in transport. However, Edinburgh performs better in , so the best choice depends on your priorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cardiff or Edinburgh better to live in?
Cardiff comes out ahead in 1 of 8 categories, with particular strengths in transport. However, Edinburgh performs better in , so the best choice depends on your priorities.
Is Cardiff safer than Edinburgh?
Cardiff and Edinburgh have similar crime safety scores (72/100). Scores are based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation crime domain.
Which has better schools, Cardiff or Edinburgh?
Cardiff has 0 schools within 3km, with 0% rated Good or Outstanding by Ofsted. Edinburgh has 0 schools nearby, with 0% rated Good or Outstanding.
Is it cheaper to live in Cardiff or Edinburgh?
Estimated monthly bills are lower in Edinburgh (~£367/month) compared to Cardiff (~£376/month). Bills include council tax, energy, water, broadband, and insurance estimates.
Data sources: Scores are estimated using pre-loaded data from MHCLG Indices of Deprivation, Ofsted/GIAS school ratings, DfT Transport Connectivity 2025, MHCLG council tax data, Ofgem energy price cap, and regional averages. For full live data from 20+ government sources, view the individual town reports. Data provided under the Open Government Licence v3.0.